…lament irregularities, violence that overshadows recent LG elections in some states
Paschal Emeka, Abuja /Posted October 17, 2024
A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), Advocate for Better Leadership and Sustainable Rural Development Initiative (ABLE SURD) has voiced its concern over poor conduct of local government elections in various states by the Independent State Electoral Commission (ISEC)and called for immediate scrapping of ISEC.
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The Director General of ABLE SURD, Comrade Destiny Madu raised the concern during a press conference in Abuja.
According to him, the the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) should takeover the conduct of local government elections in the states, so as to ensure credibility.
“With what is happening across most of the local government areas, where local government election outcomes are contested violently, we are afraid.
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” For instance in Rivers state, about three local government councils’ elections were rocked by alleged irregularities, resulting in open fracas between different contestants.
“Eleme local government secretariat was set ablaze following alleged rigging of the recent local government election conducted in the state.
“Also in some states, the same is true, with the Governor’s controlled party winning the elections from the ward level to local government level, mostly against the wishes of the people at the grassroots.
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“The Independent State Electoral Commissions has shown since 1999 that it is not capable of conducting credible, free and fair local government elections.
“Has it the required muscle to be impartial, perhaps we would have avoided what is playing out in some states in the name of election. But it has gotten it wrong from the beginning.
While he appreciated the effort of President Tinubu’s administration in ensuring an independent and autonomous local government authorities, he warned that retaining the ISEC would thwart the efforts of the administration in freeing up the local government administration from the grip of the Governors.
“This has been our position since we envisioned ISEC to be vulnerable to undue influence of state governments who want to install their preferred candidates.
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“ISEC is bound to compromise election outcomes, where the Governors call the shots, but INEC can be an impartial independent umpire as a result of its experience of conducting elections nationwide”, he insisted.